Self-locking closure



Allg- 31, 1965 J. c. wlLsoN 3,203,619

SELFLOGKING CLOSURE Filedmay 17, 1962 zsneets-sheetl Aug. 31, 1965 J. C.WILSON 3,203,619

SELF-LOCKING CLOSURE Filed May 17. 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United StatesPatent O I3,203,619 'SELF-LOCKING CLDSURE James C. Wilson, Jacksonville,Fla., assigner to Owens- Illinois Glass Company, a corporation of OhioFiled May 17, 1962, Ser. No. 195,495 1Claim. (Cl. 229-443) Thisinvention relates generally to a self-locking closure, and moreparticularly to a self-locking closure for a paperboard shippingcontainer.

A conventional type of combination closure and shipping container isthat shown generally in U.S. Patent No. 2,453,829 to S. A. Blackman. Inthis type of combination, the body portion or container side wallscomprise a series of side Wall panels foldably connected together todefine a tubular configuration. Body flaps are foldably attached to theend edges of the side wall panels. The closure comprises a central panelhaving fiaps foldably attached to its marginal edges. The flaps of the-panel are folded about the body flaps to removably interlock theclosure and the container side walls. The closure flaps, and hence theclosure, are maintained in place by a steel band or strap whichencircles the flaps. This strap is usually applied by means of specialapparatus designed for the purpose.

This invention is directed primarily to the provision of integralself-locking means for a closure of the type described above, to therebyeliminate the need for strapping or banding, and also to allow manualreclosing of the closure.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a simple,

economical and secure self-locking closure for paperboard shippingcontainers. Other objects and advantages of this invention will becomeapparent from the following description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration andexample, the preferred embodiment of this invention.

On the drawings:

FIG. l is a perspective view of the closure of this invention assembledon a container;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the blank used to form the closure of thisinvention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the closure of this invention partiallyassembled;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4 4 of FIG. l; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5--5 of FIG. l.

The closure of this invention, along with the container on which it isassembled, are preferably formed of foldable sheet-like material, suchas corrugated paperboard.

The shipping container S, partially shown on FIG. 1, comprises four sidewall panels foldably connected together into a closed tubularconfiguration. A body fiap 12, which extends the width of a side wallpanel is foldably attached to the end edge of each of the side wallpanels.

Referring to FIG. 2, the closure C is formed from a blank B of foldablesheet-like material which is slit and scored to provide a series offoldably connected panels. The blank B includes a central panel which isadapted to span and close the end of the tubular configuration referredto above. First flaps 21, 22, 23 and 24 are secured along score lines 25to the marginal edges of the central panel 20. Second flaps 26 aresecured to the side edges of the first flaps along score lines 27.Locking tabs 28 are foldably attached to the end edges of an opposedpair of first flaps 21 and 23 along score lines 29. Each of theremaining pair of opposed first aps 22 and 24 is ice provided with apair of transverse slots 30 having a length slightly greater than thewidth of the tabs 28.

In the assembly of the closure of this invention the body flaps 12 ofthe shipping container S are folded to lie alongside the panels 10. Theclosure is placed ron one end of the body portion of the container withthe central panel 20 spanning the open end of the tubular configurationdefined by the side wall panels 10. The first aps 21, 22, 23 and 24 arefolded to lie alongside the body flaps, and the second flaps 26 arereversely folded to lie between the body flaps 12 and the side wallpanels 10. See FIG. 4. The locking tabs 28 are folded about the cornersof the closure into parallel contact with the adjacent first flaps andreversely folded through the slots 30 to lie between the first flaps andthe body flaps. See FIG. 5. To facilitate reversely folding the tabs 28,a plurality of transverse scores 21 may be formed on the tabs.

It is to be understood that only the preferred embodiment of thisinvention has been illustrated and that various modifications, obviousto a person skilled in the art, can be resorted to. For example, theclosure of this invention can be adapted to close the end of a containerhaving a polygonal configuration defined by any number of side wallpanels. It is not essential that the locking tabs be located on anopposed pair of side Wall panels, but a locking tab can be located ateach corner of the closure Without respect to which fiap it is attached.Likewise, only one locking tab need be provided for each adjacent pairof first flaps. It will also be apparent that various other details ofconstruction may be modified through a wide range Without departing fromthe principles of this invention, and it is not, therefore, the purposeto limit the patent granted thereon otherwise than necessitated by thescope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A shipping container comprising, in combination: a body portion havingfour side wall panels foldably connected together into a tubularconguration; a body flap foldably attached to each side wall panel at anedge thereof at a first end of said body portion, each of said flapsextending from the respective edge toward the second end of said bodyportion and lying alongside the respective side wall panel; a closurefor closing the first end of said container, said closure comprising arectangular central panel spanning the first end of the body portion; afirst flap foldably attached to each marginal edge of said panel andfolded to overlie one of said body iiaps closely adjacent thereto; asecond flap foldably attached to each of said first tiaps and reverselyfolded to extend therefrom toward the first end of said body portion andbeing disposed between one of said wall panels and one of said bodyfiaps thereby to interlock said closure and said body portion; a lockingtab foldably attached to each end edge of an opposed pair of said firstiiaps, each of said tabs being folded about the corners of said closureand having a first portion disposed more proximately to the respectiveend edge and lying in parallel relationship to the adjacent first flaps,and having a second portion foldably attached to the first portion; apair of spaced apart slots in each of the adjacent first iiaps; each ofthe second portions of the locking tabs being inserted into one of saidslots and being reversely folded to extend toward the respective endedge to which said tab is attached, said second portion of the tab lyingintermediate one of said first flaps and one of said body flaps andbeing restrained from retraction through said slot by the closelyadjacent disposition of said first flap with respect to said body fiap,whereby the opposed pair of first flaps is interlocked with the adjacentfirst aps and with the body flaps.

(References on following page) Patented Aug. 31, 1965 q s 4 ReferencesCited bythe Examiner 2,844,294 7/ 5 8 Williams 229-6 UNITED STATESPATENTS 3,093,291 6/63 Brandle 229--35 1,926,941 9/33 Gomes 229 23THERON E. CONDON, Primary Ltxamlner. 2,193,925 3/40 Huye 229-23 5 EARLEJ. DRUMMOND, FRANKLIN T. GARRETT,

2,393,994 2/46 Kuhlman 229-38 Examiners.

